Pigtail

Pigtail is a pig-themed cocktail bar underneath Jaleo in River North. And if you somehow didn’t get the theme after seeing the big glowing sign that says “Pig and Cocktail” at the back wall, there’s no shortage of reminders. Sleek booths have funny portraits of pigs in powdered wigs overlooking them, small winged pig figurines decorate the walls, and the most prominent ingredient on the menu is pork. 

But while the theme is consistent, the food isn’t. Croquettes topped with thin slivers of iberico ham are fantastic, but an iberico smashburger topped with cheese espuma ends up tasting too rich and salty. The drinks are actually quite good—as long as you order straightforward ones like the bourbon-based Black Hole Sun and avoid the experimental ones, like an imbalanced and confusing boozy consome cocktail with pork bone broth, egg foam, and amontillado.